Art belongs out in the open, to the world

Art belongs out in the open, to the world, argues B.A. Shapiro in The Art Forger. Although art is usually created by one individual, it is not something intended to be kept hidden away. Instead, it is meant to be considered, reflected upon, enjoyed, and embraced for its beauty. Such is the case in the novel, with Shapiro taking sharp aim at those who would deny the world such a chance at such enjoyment.

Shapiro’s primary targets are art thieves. Art thieves not only squirrel away art that the public is deprived of, but do not value it for its beauty, merely its monetary worth. Stolen art is used on the black market as collateral for drugs, weapons, and other similar kinds of criminal activities in which money is leveraged, used, or needed. These criminals use...